Most of the verbal communicating you do is from one individual to another. This is true whether you're in a family, social, or a work setting.

One-on-one verbal communication affords the greatest opportunity for precision, because immediate feedback can tell you whether you were understood accurately.

But communicating effectively involves more than just accuracy.

The purpose of most communication is to influence the attitudes and behaviors of those whom we address. Since the human race is composed of billions of individuals, each with a different way of responding, no one approach is universally effective. So it's important that you learn to express yourself accurately and in a way that will accomplish your purpose toward the individual you're addressing.

The Basic Process of Communicating

To achieve precision and effectiveness in communicating, you should understand the basic process of communication. It has four requirements: